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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Families flee to Southern Oregon to escape violence in Michoacan, Mexico 2-year-old drowns in irrigation ditch in Central Point Emergency services, April 5 Graduation rates among special ed students in Jackson County improve but fall short of 67 percent target Cute smiles, chubby cheeks win judges' hearts in annual Pear Blossom Baby Contest in Medford Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, April 5 Emergency services, April 4 Social media helped track down AmericanWest Bank robber, Medford police say Jury awards damages to Rogue River couple that lived next to noisy dogs U.S. Bank robbery suspect charged in Minute Market crime Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Afghanistan progress is uneven but undeniable Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Special election: Jackson County voters OK marijuana tax Education Graduation rates among special ed students in Jackson County improve but fall short of 67 percent target New SOU board hikes tuition 5 percent Southern Oregon Education Service District superintendent to retire in June Which comes first: The rocket or the egg? Medford School District one of most accident-prone in state Environment A sea-foam change Rogue Valley lions on their way to California Corps hopes to clear Lost Creek Lake of debris Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 State News City rules drive Uber ride-hailing service out of Eugene District fires Oregon's 2014 Teacher of the Year Oregon lawmakers consider increasing highway speed limits State releases 94,000 emails from former first lady Cylvia Hayes Man accused of arson in Albany high school cafeteria fire Nation - World Obituaries William D. Enyart Gordon Geeseman Patricia Anne Johnson Patricia E. Rees Gary Dahl Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Notre Dame edges South Carolina in Final Four J.B. Holmes takes Houston Open Okafor, Kaminsky took different paths to Indy Giants open title defense on road Healthy choice Varsity 541 College Sports Notre Dame edges South Carolina in Final Four Okafor, Kaminsky took different paths to Indy Healthy choice Kentucky player apologizes for obscenity, slur Ducks' Buckner sidelined for spring Pro Sports J.B. Holmes takes Houston Open Giants open title defense on road Blazers again hit 50-win mark Timbers dump Dallas for first victory Spieth grabs one-shot lead at Houston Community Sports Business Latest Stories Silvio Calabi: Scion tC style hides its utility Road to health: Bike and pedestrian paths play greater role in transportation project funding Jackson County median home price hits $215,000 in first quarter Blog: The Season for Cleaning Blog: Nothing succeeds like ... a good wine promotion Real Estate News Jackson County median home price hits $215,000 in first quarter East McAndrews Road sees a resurgence in commercial projects Business briefs: March 7 People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 Transportation Road to health: Bike and pedestrian paths play greater role in transportation project funding Rogue Disposal plans natural gas fueling site Alaska, United Express boost Medford airport to record February Agriculture Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, April 5 Our View: State income tax sharing run amok Dana Milbank: Bob Menendez should resign Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot Michael Gerson: The virtues of the smoke-filled room Editorials Our View: State income tax sharing run amok Other Views: Rethink gillnet ban on the Columbia Our View: Local water supplies are not unlimited Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our View: The tangled web at Medford's Northgate Centre Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, April 5 Letters to the Editor, April 3 Letters to the Editor, April 2 Letters to the Editor, April1 Letters to the Editor, March 31 Columns Dana Milbank: Bob Menendez should resign Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot Michael Gerson: The virtues of the smoke-filled room Guest Opinion: Phoenix embraces Bee City USA designation Matthew T. Mangino: Prison deaths on the rise Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot Guest Opinion: Phoenix embraces Bee City USA designation Guest Opinion: Marijuana offers Oregon benefits, drawbacks Guest Opinion: How to end the influence of money in elections Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Lifestyle Latest stories Silvio Calabi: Scion tC style hides its utility Southern Oregon Journal: The famous Southern Oregon Coast Easter lilies Adopt a Pet A little fiction is like salt Solving the caregiving riddle takes care Food Community blog: Light lemon souffles are an easy Easter treat Page H. Onorato: Leftover ham and eggs make for some yummy dishes after Easter The journey from inspiration to written recipe Tammy Kelly: Lighten up traditional Easter desserts Kitchen Call: Goat cheese recipes worth bleating over Home and Garden Carol Link: Pruning rose plants, step by step How often should you paint the outside of your house? Carol Link: It’s time to get into shape for spring yard work Dear Monty: Relocation brings pay raise and challenges Garden Cameos: Planning for a fragrant garden year round Health Health Watch: Work out like a pro athlete Brent St. Germain: Feeling the burn again HealthStyle: Normal anxiety or anxiety disorder? Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Here's Tempo's 5 picks for entertainment this week Live Music in Local Clubs A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists New exhibits open at Schneider Museum of Art Theater Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Music Elias String Quartet plays at Southern Oregon University Bluegrass band Siskiyou Summit plays Bell Fiore Winery Oregon Old-Time Fiddlers at the Ashland Community Center Live Music in Local Clubs A Country Cajun Revival comes to the Unitarian Community Events MailTribune.com rolls out new calendar Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Easter egg hunts are a long-standing tradition in the Rogue Valley Get Up & Go: Friday, April 3 Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Dining RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: Sunday, April 5 The Laughing Clam in Grants Pass offers seafood-heavy menu Standing Stone owners to open Medford brewpub and restaurant Restaurant Inspections: March 29 Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Graduation rates among special ed students in Jackson County improve but fall short of 67 percent target ... Our View: State income tax sharing run amok ... Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot ... Graduation rates among special ed students in Jackson County improve but fall short of 67 percent target ... Our View: State income tax sharing run amok ... Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot ... GUEST OPINION Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot By Kristi Wright MailTribune.com By Kristi Wright Posted Apr. 5, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Kristi Wright Posted Apr. 5, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> In his March 26 article “$15 minimum wage bill dead in Oregon Senate,” Greg Stiles reports on what 15 Now Oregon has known all session. Since we first contacted Senate President Peter Courtney, D-Salem, in December 2014, he has said he won’t allow SB 610 to come to the floor for a vote. As over half a million hardworking Oregonians struggle to get by on poverty wages, the fight for $15 will continue despite Courtney’s obstructionism. Courtney says that raising the minimum wage to $15 over three years will harm our small-business economy. This fear is common throughout modern history, but it is not grounded in the facts. The Oregon Center for Public Policy reports that there is precedent for a wage increase of this size in Oregon, and that our state economy did well. That’s because when working families have more money to spend, they spend more money at local businesses. 15 Now Oregon had this bill drafted and submitted knowing that the chances of it passing through the Legislature were slim to none. We sought to inspire a serious conversation about a minimum wage high enough to get hardworking Oregonians out of poverty and off public assistance, and in that we succeeded. Our campaign for a $15 minimum wage has captured the public imagination, and started discussions at dinner tables from La Grande to Coos Bay. We see this enthusiasm because working families have fallen behind as wages have failed to keep up with the cost of living. It is not because our economy is “slowly recovering,” as Medford/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce CEO Brad Hicks claims: in fact, the Oregon Center for Public Policy says that our state economy is growing at three times the national rate. Business is better than ever, and it’s time for Oregonians to collect the living wage they have earned. Hicks repeats the discredited claim that Seattle’s phased-in minimum wage increase is costing the city small businesses and jobs. In an article titled “Local facts no match for national fiction on $15 minimum wage issue,” the Seattle Times called this claim “bogus” and quoted the owners of the businesses in question, who denied that the minimum wage caused or was at all associated with the closures. Hicks’ statements may fit his ideology, but they are inconsistent with the evidence. Democrats like Courtney act as if paid sick leave and raising the minimum wage are mutually exclusive propositions. This shows how out of touch they are with working families. In a state where half of new jobs pay less than a living wage, and where there are nine job-seekers for every available living-wage job, hard work is no longer enough to get ahead. Oregonians deserve paid sick leave and a living wage, because no one who works should live in poverty. The fight for $15 is alive and stronger than ever. 15 Now Oregon is organizing communities in Medford, Portland, and elsewhere throughout the state. Hundreds will attend the hearing in Salem on April 13 and demand a floor vote on a $15 minimum wage. If Peter Courtney will not provide real leadership on this important issue, then 15 Now Oregon will take it to the ballot in 2016. SB 610 may be doomed, but the fight for $15 will continue until we win. Kristi Wright of Ashland is Southern Oregon regional organizer for 15 Now Oregon.   By Kristi Wright MailTribune.com By Kristi Wright Posted Apr. 5, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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